Only Human
by ExplodingWeekend
Summary: Zombie questions his humanity, but with all these people around, how is he supposed to get any thinking done?


A/N: I finally sat down and made myself write this. After discovering the HinaBN section a few days ago and despairing over the lack of gen fic, I took it upon myself to fill the emptiness.

{…} is slightly out of character, but… yeah. I've never done a zombie's POV before.

Few important notes: First part is set during the 2nd chapter, which {as I'm writing this} has yet to be finished. So please disregard any discrepancies. Also, there are quite a few SPOILERS!

Done while listening to Pomplamoose's cover of "Telephone" by Lady Gaga.

Only Human

My second mission with Hanna was when I first began to question my humanity.

Veser {the pointy tooth half-selkie kid} had turned to me when we were regrouping at the Doc's office, his strange eyes glowing with curiosity. Then he asked the question I knew was coming but was still apprehensive of.

"Are you dead?"

"Yes," I answered without blinking. I turned my back to him to signal the conversation was over.

"That's cool. Sorry about, you know, you getting possessed and everything."

"S'Okay," I ground out, scanning the room for Hanna. Worth and Conrad were fighting, and Toni was arguing loudly with Casimiro and Finas over a game of cards. Overall, the atmosphere was very noisy, but there was no boisterous, boyish voice adding to the excitement. I felt something like worry pass through me, the same feeling that had washed over me back at the theatre when the ghost had hit Hanna.

I was just about to remind myself {once again} that Hanna had survived just fine without me for years when he stepped out of the Doc's "classified" room and ran over to where the Doc and Conrad were fighting. They had started to throw punches, and Hanna ducked when one of Conrad's fists missed its target and swung towards him.

"Oh, Hanna, I'm so sorry!" Conrad stepped back from Doc Worth to see if Hanna had been injured at all.

"No, no, I'm fine!" Hanna chirped in his way-too-cheery voice. It really wasn't what you'd expect from a paranormal investigator.

"Excuse me," I said to Veser, ignoring the hurt that flickered through his vibrant green eyes. I felt slightly guilty, remembering that this boy had just seen the man who had been like a father to him try to come back to life. By stealing my body, of course, but to Veser it probably seemed unfair that I got to live while so many others died and never came back.

Wondering briefly why I _had_ come back, I hurried off to go help Hanna.

---

The second time I questioned my humanity, Toni was the instigator. She had been visiting Hanna and me at our too-small apartment and had started to tell us a story about one of her werewolf adventures.

"You know what would make this better?" She asked, winking at Hanna. "Tea."

"Definitely," Hanna agreed, and he jumped up from his seat on the floor and went off to the small kitchenette to make some.

When he was out of earshot, Toni looked at me and smiled. "So…" She started.

I looked back at her and waited patiently. I knew what was coming next.

"How does it feel?"

"I don't understand."

She turned to face me more. "I think you do."

I straightened my shoulders a bit, but that felt wrong, so I hunched them again. "Cold."

"Oh." She looked sad for a moment, but she soon brightened and placed a hand on my pale green arm. "And now?"

I shrugged. It made no difference, but I knew what she wanted to hear. "Warmer."

Toni smiled so brightly it almost lit up the room. I couldn't help but think that Hanna's smile was better {what a petty thought}.

---

Conrad was the breaking point. He had to be the most critical, observant vampire in the world. Our little team of three was eating {or not eating, in Conrad's and my cases}, and Hanna had gotten up to get ice cream or something and had gotten distracted. He was now pushing a little girl on the swings, and Conrad and I were sitting on the bench watching.

"Are you human?" He asks suddenly. I glance over at him and see his stupid tooth poking over his bottom lip. That thing is so annoying, and the last rays of sunlight are reflecting off of it and into my undead eyes, and for one second I'm tempted to yank it out. And then what he said registers.

"Are you?" I snap back angrily, or as angrily as I can manage with my monotone voice. He smirks and shrugs.

"I don't really know anymore, I just wanted to make sure you remembered."

"I don't remember my anything, not even my own name. What do you want from me?"

"Just remember that you're human, no matter how many years of rot you've gone through." He took out his cell phone and held it up. It lit up his pale face eerily in the twilight.

"I need to meet Worth for my… dinner." Conrad shuddered visibly, and it was obvious he was still uncomfortable with the situation he was in. "Tell Hanna where I went, maybe you guys can come visit later so I won't have to be alone with that creep. You haven't seen the Doc in a while."

"I know," I said, folding my arms over my chest and turning my glowing gaze to Hanna. He was waving goodbye to the girl, who had apparently found her mom.

I heard Conrad's fancy shoes click against the pavement as he walked away, almost as loud as Hanna's squeaky sneakers making their way back to the bench.

---

"Jupiter."

That was me, apparently. "Yes, Hanna?"

We were sitting on the floor of the apartment, organizing the case files and waiting {more like praying} for a customer to appear.

I heard the squeal of sharpie against cardstock as Hanna circled something he apparently found important. "Just trying the sound of it."

I nodded and went back to reading over a case file from before I had taken the job, back when Hanna was alone.

"Orville."

"No."

"Ash."

I shook my head.

"Imhotep."

"You've already done that one, Hanna," I pointed out.

"Oh."

"I don't even see why I need a name…" I drawled, not really paying attention to our conversation anymore.

I heard the click of pen cap against pen and looked up at Hanna. He had one of those goofy smiles on his face that never meant anything good.

"Because you're my partner, and I have to introduce you as something." He paused, and looked at me over the top of his glasses. "And because you're human."

I didn't know how to answer, so I just smiled and nodded.

"That's another point for you!" Hanna shouted loudly, making his way over to the tally chart and putting a line under my name. "You're leading by two. Connie needs to pick up the pace."

I thought back to Conrad's invitation the other night at the park.

"Perhaps we should go tell him the score," I suggested.


End file.
